The present application relates generally to the field of toilets. More specifically, the present application relates to an improved damper locking mechanism for influencing the inertia of a toilet seat relative to a toilet bowl to which the seat is coupled.
Damper locking mechanisms are provided on toilets to influence the inertia of the toilet seat when being moved, such as when the toilet seat is moved from an up (e.g., open) position to a down (e.g., closed) position. For example, the damper locking mechanism may resist a change in movement of the toilet seat from the up to the down position by exerting a force that resists closing the toilet seat to thereby slow the closing and prevent the toilet seat from slamming on the toilet bowl.
One problem associated with damper locking mechanisms is an inherent looseness between a damper body and a bore of the hinge, which can result in looseness between the toilet seat (coupled to the damper) and the toilet bowl (coupled to the housing). This looseness is inherent with the tolerances required to accommodate the manufacturing processes for the damper and hinge components.
Some embodiments of conventional damper locking mechanisms may include a hinge base coupled to the toilet bowl and fixed thereto. The hinge base includes a bore defined by an opening in a side wall of the hinge base, where the bore is configured to receive a damper. The damper must be retracted, then advanced back into a seat of the toilet for engagement. To reduce seat movement, the damper locking mechanism may include crush ribs to eliminate the clearance between the damper and the hinge base. The crush ribs may extend along the sides of the bore for a part of or an entire length of the hinge base. The crush ribs are positioned so that they are permanently deformed within the hinge base when the damper is inserted. When the damper is inserted into the hinge base, the crush ribs are torn from the side walls of the bore and the remaining crush rib material reduces movement of the damper within the hinge base. However, because the damper must be retracted, then advanced into the arms, the crush ribs have less contact with the damper and rotational movement remains due to lost contact with the deformed crush rib material. The movement within the hinge base and the damper can be perceived as a loose seat.
Other embodiments of conventional damper locking mechanisms may include a hinge base coupled to the toilet bowl and fixed thereto. The hinge base includes a bore defined by an opening in a side wall of the hinge base, where the bore is configured to receive a damper. For example, the damper may include a damper body that engages the bore and an arm that extends from the damper body. The arm is pivotally connected to the damper body, such that the arm rotates relative to the damper body with an influenced (e.g., dampened) inertia. Accordingly, the arm of the damper is coupled to a toilet seat and the body of the damper is coupled to the hinge base to allow the toilet seat to rotate relative to the toilet bowl with an inertia that is influenced through the damper. A conventional way of retaining the body of the damper, so that the arm is able to rotate relative to the damper body, is by having a key-way feature in the bore of the hinge base and a mating key-way in the damper body to thereby restrict relative rotation between the body and the hinge base. For example, the bore may include grooves that are aligned at various radial locations around the bore, where each groove may receive a corresponding spline (e.g., projection) that extends outwardly from the body of the damper. The engagement between the splines of the body of the damper and the grooves of the hinge base prevent relative rotation between the body and the hinge base. However, there is clearance between the splines and the grooves due to manufacturing tolerances, which creates looseness between the body of the damper and the bore.
The present application relates to a damper locking mechanism for a toilet that allows the toilet seat (and/or cover) to rotate relative to the toilet bowl with an influenced (e.g., dampened) inertia, wherein the mechanism is configured to address the issue of looseness discussed above (i.e., the mechanism is configured to reduce or remove the looseness between the damper and the hinge base) and other issues associated with damper locking mechanisms.